Rotational Motion

PRACTICE PROBLEMS SOLUTIONS

1. A particle moves in a circle 1.50 m in radius. Through what angle in radians does it rotate if it moves
through an arc length of 2.50 m? What is this angle in degrees?

𝒔 𝟐.𝟓
𝒔 = 𝒓𝜽 𝜽= = = 𝟏. 𝟔𝟕 𝒓𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒔
𝒓 𝟏.𝟓
𝟑𝟔𝟎𝒐
𝟏. 𝟔𝟕 𝒓𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒔 × = 𝟗𝟓. 𝟕𝒐
𝟐𝝅
2. A grinding wheel, initially at rest, is rotated with constant angular acceleration α = 5.0 rad/s2 for 8.0s. The wheel is
then brought to rest, with uniform negative acceleration, in 10 rev. Determine the negative angular acceleration
required and the time needed to bring the wheel to rest.

𝛼 = 5.0 𝑟𝑎𝑑 𝑠 −2 𝑡 = 8 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑠 𝜃 = 10 𝑟𝑒𝑣 = 10 × 2𝜋 = 20𝜋 𝑟𝑎𝑑 𝜔𝑖 =

0 𝑟𝑎𝑑 𝑠 −1
𝜔𝑓 = 𝜔𝑖 + 𝛼𝑡 = 0 + 5.0 8 = 40 𝑟𝑎𝑑 𝑠 −1
𝜔𝑓 2 = 𝜔𝑖 2 + 2𝛼𝜃 0 = 402 + 2𝛼 20𝜋 𝛼 = 12.7 𝑟𝑎𝑑 𝑠 −2

𝜔𝑓 = 𝜔𝑖 + 𝛼𝑡
0 = 40 + 12.7𝑡
𝑡 = 3.14 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑠
3. A centrifuge in a medical laboratory is rotating at an angular speed of 3600 rev/min. When switched
off, it rotates 50.0 times before coming to rest. Find the constant angular deceleration of the
centrifuge.

𝑟𝑎𝑑
𝑟𝑒𝑣 2𝜋
𝜔𝑖 = 3600 = 3600 𝑟𝑒𝑣 × 𝑟𝑒𝑣
= 377 𝑟𝑎𝑑 𝑠 −1
𝑚𝑖𝑛 60 𝑠𝑒𝑐

𝑠 = 50 × 2𝜋 = 100𝜋 rad
𝜔𝑓 = 0 𝑟𝑎𝑑 𝑠 −1
2 2 𝜔𝑓 2 −𝜔𝑖 2 0−3772
𝜔𝑓 = 𝜔𝑖 + 2𝛼𝑠 𝛼= = = −226 𝑟𝑎𝑑 𝑠 −2
𝑠 100𝜋
4. An airliner arrives at the terminal, and the engines are shut off. The rotor of one of the engines has
an initial clockwise angular velocity of 2000 rad/s. The engine’s rotation slows with an angular
acceleration of magnitude 80.0 rad/s2. (a)Determine the angular velocity after 10.0 s. (b) How long
does it take the rotor to come to rest?

𝜔𝑖 = 2000 𝑟𝑎𝑑 𝑠 −1 𝛼 = −80𝑟𝑎𝑑 𝑠 −2

𝜔𝑓 = 𝜔𝑖 + 𝛼𝑡 = 2000 + −80 10 = 1200 𝑟𝑎𝑑 𝑠 −1

𝜔𝑓 −𝜔𝑖 0−2000
𝜔𝑓 = 𝜔𝑖 + 𝛼𝑡 𝑡= = = 25 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑠
𝛼 −80
5. A race car travels in a circular track of radius 200 m. If the car moves with a constant speed of 80
m/s, find (a) its angular velocity and (b) its tangential acceleration.

𝑟 = 200 𝑚 𝑣 = 80 𝑚𝑠 −1
𝑣 80
𝑣 = 𝑟𝜔 𝜔= = = 0.4 𝑟𝑎𝑑 𝑠 −1
𝑟 200

Tangential acceleration is 0. (constant speed of 80 m/s)

6. The race car of Problem 5 increases its speed at a constant linear acceleration from 80 m/s to 95 m/s
in 10 s. (a) Find the constant angular acceleration and (b) the angle the car moves through in this
time.

𝑣 80 𝑣 95
𝜔𝑖 = = = 0.4 𝑟𝑎𝑑 𝑠 −1 𝜔𝑓 = = = 0.475 𝑟𝑎𝑑 𝑠 −1
𝑟 200 𝑟 200
𝜔𝑓 −𝜔𝑖 0.475−0.4
𝛼= = = 0.0075 𝑟𝑎𝑑 𝑠 −2
𝑡 10
7. A tire 0.500 m in radius rotates at a constant rate of 200 revolutions per minute. Find the speed and
acceleration of a small stone lodged in the tread of the tire (on its outer edge).

1 1 60 𝑠𝑒𝑐
𝑇= = 200 𝑟𝑒𝑣 = = 0.3 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑠
𝑓 200 𝑟𝑒𝑣
60 𝑠𝑒𝑐
2𝜋𝑟 2𝜋(0.5)
𝑣= = = 10.5 𝑚𝑠 −1
𝑇 0.3
𝑣2 10.52
𝑎𝑐 = = = 218 𝑚𝑠 −2
𝑟 0.5
8. The driver of a car traveling at 30.0 m/s applies the brakes and undergoes a constant negative
acceleration of 2.00 m/s2. How many revolutions does each tire make before the car comes to a stop,
assuming that the car does not skid and that the tires have radii of 0.300 m?

𝑣 30
𝜔𝑖 = = = 100 𝑟𝑎𝑑 𝑠 −1
𝑟 .3
𝑎 −2
𝛼= = = −6.7 𝑟𝑎𝑑 𝑠 −2
𝑟 .3

𝜔𝑓 = 0𝑟𝑎𝑑 𝑠 −1
2 2 𝜔𝑓 2 −𝜔𝑖 2 1002
𝜔𝑓 = 𝜔𝑖 + 2α𝑠 𝑠= = = 746 𝑟𝑎𝑑
2𝛼 2(−6.7)
746
1 𝑟𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = 2𝜋 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑠 = 118.8 𝑟𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠
2𝜋
9. Young David experimented with slings before tackling Goliath. He found that he could develop an
angular speed of 8.0 rev/s in a sling 0.60 m long. If he increased the length to 0.90 m, he could revolve
the sling only six times per second. (a) Which angular speed gives the greater linear speed? (b) What is
the centripetal acceleration at 8.0 rev/s? (c) What is the centripetal acceleration at 6.0 rev/s?

𝜔1 = 8 𝑟𝑒𝑣 𝑠 −1 = 16𝜋 𝑟𝑎𝑑 𝑟1 = 0.6 𝑚

𝜔2 = 6 𝑟𝑒𝑣 𝑠 −1 = 12𝜋 𝑟𝑎𝑑 𝑟2 = 0.9 𝑚

𝑣1 = 𝑟1 𝜔1 = 0.6 16𝜋 = 9.6𝜋

𝑣2 = 𝑟2 𝜔2 = 0.9 12𝜋 = 10.8𝜋 (greater)

𝑣2 9.6𝜋
𝑎𝑐 = = = 1516 m𝑠 −2
𝑟 0.6

𝑣2 12𝜋
𝑎𝑐 = = = 1579 m𝑠 −2
𝑟 0.9
10. The downward motion of an elevator is controlled by a cable that unwinds from a cylinder of radius
0.20 m. What is he angular velocity of the cylinder when the downward speed of the elevator is 1.2
m/s?

𝑣 1.2
𝜔= = = 6 𝑟𝑎𝑑 𝑠 −1
𝑟 .2
11. A 60.0-cm diameter wheel rotates with a constant angular acceleration of 4.00 rad/s2. It starts from rest at t = 0,
and a chalk line drawn to a point, P, on the rim of the wheel makes an angle of 57.3° with the horizontal at this
time. At t = 2.00 s, find (a) the angular speed of the wheel, (b) the linear velocity and tangential acceleration of P,
and (c) the position of P.

P
𝛼 = 4 𝑟𝑎𝑑 𝑠 −1 𝜔𝑖 = 0 𝑟𝑎𝑑 𝑠 −1 𝑟 = 0.6 𝑚 𝑡1 = 0 𝑠𝑒𝑐 𝑡2 = 2 𝑠𝑒𝑐
𝜔𝑖 = 0 𝑟𝑎𝑑
𝜔𝑓 = 𝜔𝑖 + 𝛼𝑡 = 0 + 4 2 = 8 𝑟𝑎𝑑 𝑠 −1 57.3o

𝑣 = 𝑟𝜔 = 0.3 8 = 2.4 𝑚𝑠 −1
𝑎𝑡 = 𝑟𝛼 = 0.3 4 = 1.2 𝑚𝑠 −2
1 1
𝜃 = 𝜔𝑖 𝑡 + 𝛼𝑡 2 = 0 + (4)(2)2 = 8 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑠
2 2
8 𝑟𝑎𝑑
Convert to rev – = 1.27 rev 1.27 × 360 + 57.3 = 516𝑜
2𝜋